I'm interested to see what got you started, your ups and downs, and why you keep playing.

I loved SEGA as a wee boy and grew up with the Mega Drive, and eventually, the Dreamcast. I think I was the only one who had one where I lived, which was terrible as I never had anyone to trade with. Was really into the classic MD stuff, Shinobi, Streets of Rage 1 and 2, never knew 3 existed until a few years ago, which is a good thing really 'cause it's shite, and the best, true Sonic games, that was a time when SEGA could do no wrong. 

Was lucky enough to get a PS2 in 2001 which sadly spent the majority of it's time idle or drowning out DVDs with it's loud as fuck fan. Soon moved onto the Gamecube when SEGA went third party and was introduced to Smash Bros Melee, and later, Super Mario Sunshine and the Zelda Collector's Edition. Stayed solely with Nintendo (not because I was some unbearable hipster poser or anything, nothing else really interested me on the other consoles at the time) until 2005/06 when Twilight Princess's umpteen release dates pissed me off to the point of losing interest in games. If you were around at this point and lived in the UK you probably remember magazines and websites torturing fans with rumors and speculation. Evil fuckers.

Anyway, eventually returned and briefly picked up where I left off only to discover women. Spent a wee while at college, and returned... again, though not as obsessed as I used to be, and have remained since.

So how about you?

I became familiar with gaming with the n64 then got a gcn for christmas where we got the pokemon xd bundle and mk double dash bundles(we had 2 gcns)
then I got a wii and bought a 360 and ps3 later on
then mk8 came out and i bought a wii u
late 2015 should be when I will get a ps4

The first console I played was the SNES and I would play at my cousins house, my parents wouldn't buy me one cause the would always say you can just play it at your cousins house you don't need one.  They ended up buying me a N64 and that was my first console, I only got used bargain bin games for it, except for Super Mario 64, the only new game I was allowed to get for the console.  After that I got a XBOX brcause that's the one my cousin had and we had so much fun playing Halo I had to get one of my own.  I ended up getting a PS2 and GC at the end of the generation and didn't get many games for them.

I don't really have any downs, its all ups.  I keep playing because its fun, I don't have a big elaborate explanation.

i started from the bottom...but now im here..

You dare recite the poems of Drake in my thread?

That's a strike.

Age 4-6: Atari
Age 6-8: Atari, N64, PC
Age 8-10: PC
Age 10- : PC & all kinds of consoles.
Age Now: 3DS, PC, Atari, N64.

Hurray,now if i can get two more,that's  a turkey!

I first when into contact with Gaming when my dad (RIP) bought me a dremcast, i remember playing Sonic and NBA on it, but nothing else.

Afterwards my mom bought me a Gameboy Color, I played mostly Pokemon, Sonic Advanced and Godzilla: Domination.

Then around 2003-2004 I got to the PS2, I played Call Of Duty, Rayman, Tomb Raider, Star Wars Battlefront 1&2 and Pac Man (Don't remember which one)

When I grew Older I got 2 different PSP, 2 different DS, a Wii and a PS3, Played too many games that I can't mention right now, but some include Sonic Rush, MK vs DC, Super Smash Brawl and The Last of Us

and then we come to the present with a PS Vita, PS3 and PS4, Favorite games are Freedom Wars, Destiny, and various others ones.

and ever since 2005 or so I played PC, but not as much as consoles but I played various games such as Age of Empires 1,2 & 3, Warcraft 3 with expansion, Conflict Vietnam, Starcraft 2, and now Town of salem and Minecraft.

and that's it, I love Gaming and will always continue to do so.

Oh during me having a PS3 I had an Xbox 360 with ghost recon and Gears of wars 2, but afterwards I sold it.

Grew up with the Crash Bandicoot games during childhood.

Super Smash Bros. Melee was one of the first Nintendo games I ever played, and is one of the main reasons why I keep gaming.

Call of Duty 4 on the 360 was my very first online game, and was one of the best gaming experiences I ever had.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is what pretty much got me into vintage game collecting, and exploring all these different Nintendo franchises.

Team Fortress 2 is what got me into PC gaming.

There's my very barebones history with gaming.

I had to Google that, it went over my head. Second strike for cheek.